This invention relates to a control element with a mechanical actuator and an electrical or electromechanical switching element, whereby the switching element comprising of at least one push button reacting upon pressure.
The present invention further relates to a hearing device or hearing aid with such a control element with a mechanical actuator and an electrical or electromechanical switching element.
Control elements to be manipulated or controlled by the user of a device from the outside of the device, such as a hearing aid or a hearing device, are commonly provided in form of potentiometers or toggle switches, for instance as volume control. These control elements are provided as complete units, that is the mechanical actuating element accessible from the outside as well as the electrical or electronically switching element are realized in one single piece.
Such control elements are usually soldering attached directly to the printed circuit board of the electronic module of the device or are attached to this printed circuit board by means of electrical conducting wires, which connections are realized as well as soldering connections.
For an economically manufacturing, such control elements have to be mass-produced in standardized specifications. Therefore, such control elements provide of identical electrical switching or control features respectively, but also provide a uniformed shape and color of the mechanical actuating elements.
If an actual control element has to be replaced in a hearing aid or hearing device respectively, the whole or complete control element has to be removed and replaced. For this purpose the hearing aid or hearing device has to be opened and the control element as to be desoldered, which involves a great effort and operating expense. This further causes a great risk of damaging the other electrical and/or electronical components of the hearing device or hearing aid, especially if not performed by especially skilled persons.
This whole work has to be done even if not the electrical component of the control element has to be replaced due to a technical defect but if only the mechanical component, e.g. the mechanical actuator, has to be replaced. This may be the cause not only by technical reasons but also by esthetical reasons.